Wild Fabrics: A Day in Monsanto

Come spend a day in the life of a natural dyer, exploring the living color hidden in plain sight. We will start with a short hike through Monsanto where we’ll talk about what plants can be used for eco printing and natural dyeing, sustainable foraging principles, and exchange general plant knowledge.

The hike will end at a beautiful picnic area where you will get to dye and ecoprint two wall hangings with the plant materials you’ve collected.

Tamara (Distinto Studio) will lead a natural dyeing session and demonstrate some shibori folds to create a pattern on your wall hanging. Annette (Tinctorium Studio), will lead an eco printing session where you can ecoprint your other wall hanging. As we wait for the magic to happen in the dye pots, snacks and drinks will be available.

This interactive workshop is aimed at getting people comfortable in identifying and using plants that can be foraged in the Lisbon area.

If you’ve never tried natural dyeing, this will be a beautiful experience where you can immerse yourself in the materials already available around you.

For those of you who have experimented with natural dyes only to be  overwhelmed and uncertain by what local plants you can use, there’s still a lot to learn. We would love to hear about your experiments and give you insights into the local plants.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What will I learn?

This workshop is really three workshops in one! You’ll learn to identify and collect local plant materials useful for natural dyeing. Then you’ll learn how to apply your foraged material in two different techniques. First you’ll learn how to make a dye bath with the plants you’ve collected and how to make tie-dye patterns on the fabric. And finally you’ll learn how to use the leaves to print directly on the fabric, creating a botanical design.

As per most workshops, knowledge exchange is a spontaneous source of learning. We also look forward to hearing about any experiences you’ve had with local plants (for natural dyeing, wild foods, herbal medicine).

What do I need to bring?

All of the materials will be provided. But we recommend you bring a bottle of water, a tote bag or backpack to store your leafy treasures, and comfortable shoes.

What will I bring home?

Each person will bring home the two wall hangings they made - one naturally dyed with a tie-dye pattern and the other eco printed. Plus, you’ll get a booklet with information for you to reference from home.

How do I get to Monsanto?

If you don’t have a car, there are buses you can take to Monsanto. We will send the exact meeting point when you book your spot.

What language will the workshop be taught in?

The workshop will be primarily taught in English, but anything can be repeated or clarified in Portuguese.